198 Mr. TiirnbuU on Saint Bathan. 



in judgment along with Columba on a man who "fratricidum 

 " in modum perpetravit Cain, et cum sua matre magchatus est." 

 The saints dismissed him with the advice that if he was truly- 

 penitent and remained among the Brittones, without return- 

 ing to Scotia (Ireland) during his life, perhaps God would 

 forgive him. It is added, somewhat illogically, that it hap- 

 pened as the saints had foretold, for he went to Ireland and 

 was murdered.^ 



Having been sent by Columba to a place called Druym- 

 Cuill, to excommunicate an impenitent family there, he trans- 

 ferred the punishment from the family to a tree under which 

 he rested, and in a few days fire fell from heaven, the tree 

 was rent to the very root, and died as the man of God had 

 spoken.^ 



Returning from these wanderings Baithen went to Tiree 

 and presided over the monastery of Nagh Lunge in that island. 

 Besides it there were several other institutions in the island, 

 all dependent on lona; but this monastery was a college 

 or training school for missionaries, and there is one instance 

 recorded of " Sapiens vir Feachnaus qui in quodam facinore 

 lapsus," but who had become penitent, being sent there, ap- 

 parently to be confirmed in the faith by Baithen.'' Baithen's 

 appointment to superintend this institution, is a powerful 

 testimony to his talents, learning, and zeal. While he was 

 here, the island was visited by a fearful disease, caused, it is 

 said, by an attack of demons. Baithen, by fasting and prayer, 

 so saved his monastery that only one person died, whereas in 

 the other monasteries of the island many were cut oif.^ Nor 

 was this the only occasion on which Baithen put the devil to 

 flight. In this same monastery of Naglunga, one of the 

 brethren was vexed with a devil which Baithen cast out say- 

 ing, " Thou knowest, O devil, that as there has never been 

 *' friendship between me and thee, so there never shall be; 

 " wherefore I command thee in the name of Jesus that thou 

 *' depart out of my borders."^ The devil fled accordingly and 

 the brother was saved. It was mostly, however, after he 

 became Abbot that he exercised power over devils, and several 

 instances are recorded. One of his own monks who was so 

 vexed with a devil that, unless bound with iron chains, he 

 tore himself and all around him, Baithen for very modesty 



a Adam. i. 22. Colgan cap. xxii. 

 b Acta S. S. 

 e Adam. i. 30. 

 <i Adam. in. 8, 

 « Acta S. S. 



